Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit
State Examinations Commission
LEAVING CERTIFICATE 2010
MARKING SCHEME
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
HIGHER LEVEL
Project1
12/1/10
15:41
Page 1
Introduction
The marking scheme is a guide to awarding marks to candidates’ answers. It is a concise and
summarised guide and is constructed in a way to minimise its word content.
Examiners must conform to this scheme and may not allow marks for answering outside this scheme.
The scheme contains key words or phrases for which candidates may be awarded marks. This does not
preclude synonyms or phrases which convey the same meaning as the answer in the marking scheme.
Although synonyms are generally acceptable, there may be instances where the scheme demands an
exact scientific term and will not accept equivalent non-scientific or colloquial terms.
The descriptions, methods and definitions in the scheme are not exhaustive and alternative valid answers are
acceptable. If it comes to the attention of the Examiner that a candidate has presented a valid answer
and there is no provision in the scheme for accepting this answer, then he/she must first consult with
his/her Advising Examiner before awarding marks. In general, if in doubt about any answer,
examiners should consult their Advising Examiner before awarding marks.
A key word may be awarded marks, only if it is presented in the correct context.
e.g. Question: Briefly outline how water from the soil reaches the leaf.
Marking scheme - concentration gradient /root hair / osmosis / cell to cell / root pressure/ xylem /
cohesion or explained / adhesion or capillarity or explained / Dixon and Joly / transpiration or
evaporation [accept water loss] / tension
any six 6 x 3 marks
Answer “ Water is drawn up the xylem by osmosis” Although the candidate has presented two key
terms (xylem, osmosis), the statement is incorrect and the candidate can only be awarded 3 marks for
referring to the movement of water through the xylem.
Cancelled Answers
The following is an extract from S63 Instructions to Examiners 2010 (section 7.3, p.22)
“Where a candidate answers a question or part of a question once only and then cancels the answer,
you should ignore the cancelling and should treat the answer as if the candidate had not cancelled it.”
e.g.
Question: What is pollination?
Marking Scheme:
transfer of pollen/ from anther/ to stigma
3 x 3 marks
Sample Answer: transfer of pollen/ from anther/ to stigma
The candidate has cancelled the answer and has not made another attempt to answer the question and
may be awarded 3 x 3 marks.
Sample Answer: transfer of pollen/ by insect/ to stigma
The candidate has cancelled the answer and has not made another attempt to answer the question and
may be awarded 2 x 3 marks.
Surplus Answers
In Section A, a surplus wrong answer cancels the marks awarded for a correct answer.
e.g.
Question:
The walls of xylem vessels are reinforced with ……………………
Marking Scheme: lignin 4 marks
Sample answers:
chitin, lignin – there is a surplus answer, which is incorrect, therefore the candidate scores 4 – 4 marks
= 0.
lignin – the answer, which is correct, has been cancelled, but there is no additional or surplus answer,
therefore the candidate may be awarded 4 marks.
lignin, chitin - there is a surplus answer, which is incorrect, but it has been cancelled and as the
candidate has given more than one answer (i.e. the candidate is answering the question more than once
only), the cancelling can be accepted and he/she may be awarded 4 marks.
-2-
Question:
Name the four elements that are always present in protein
Marking Scheme; carbon/ hydrogen/ oxygen/ nitrogen 4 x 3 marks
Sample answers:
 carbon/ hydrogen/ oxygen/ nitrogen/ calcium – there is a surplus answer, which is incorrect,
and which cancels one of the correct answers, therefore the candidate is awarded 3 x 3 marks.
 carbon/ hydrogen/ oxygen/ calcium – there is no surplus answer, there are three correct
answers, therefore the candidate is awarded 3 x 3 marks.
 carbon/ hydrogen/ oxygen/ calcium/ aluminium – there is a surplus answer, which is incorrect,
and which cancels one of the three correct answers, therefore the candidate is awarded 2 x 3
marks.
 carbon/ hydrogen/ oxygen/ calcium / aluminium – there is a surplus answer, which is incorrect,
but as the candidate has given more than one answer (i.e. the candidate is answering the
question more than once only), the cancelling can be accepted and there is no longer a surplus
answer and he/she may be awarded 3 x 3 marks.
Conventions






Each word or phrase for which marks are allocated is separated by a solidus (/) from the next
word or phrase.
The mark awarded for an answer appears next to the answer in the right hand column.
Where there are several parts in the answer to a question, the mark awarded for each part
appears as e.g. 2 x 4 marks. This means that there are two parts to the answer, each part
allocated 4 marks.
The answers to subsections of a question may not necessarily be allocated a specific mark;
e.g. there may be three parts to a question – (i), (ii), (iii) and a total of 10 marks allocated to
the question. The marking scheme might be as follows 6 marks + 2 marks + 2 marks. This
means that any first correct answer is awarded 6 marks and each subsequent correct answer
is awarded 2 marks each.
A word that appears in brackets is not a requirement of the answer, but is merely used to
contextualise the answer.
Square brackets are used where the Examiner’s attention is being drawn to an instruction
relating to the answer or to some qualification of the answer.
-3-
2010. M40
Q1
(a)
(b)
It is a species which shows the conditions in the habitat.
wet=moss,buttercup,rushes,horsetail, sally,wild iris,
dry/sandy=sorrel,thistle,speedwell,yarrow &c
low in lime=plantain,bracken,sorrel,rhododendron,knotweed
Rich in lime=chickweed,clovers,henbane,wild beet(or other correct
example)
Diagram:
INDICATOR
SPECIES
TOOTH
Labels:
Crown/root/enamel/
pulp cavity/dentine
gum /cement/nerve(s)/
blood vessels or named blood vessel
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
High dry matter /high dmd /high yields/palatable/only one
harvest/lower cost/high starch/high protein
Reduces amount of concentrates needed/Holstein-high yield cows
will not get acidosis from too much meal/climate milder/new varieties
suited to Ireland
(i) acid-alkali scale/1-14 with 7 as neutral/measure of acidity /
alkalinity/H ion concentration
(ii) sour milk 4-5, rumen 7, abomasum 2
Soil auger =taking cores for soil profiles [accept ‘taking a soil
sample’]
Refractometer= estimate sugar% in a substance
Burdizzo= clamper for castrating male farm animals/tail docking
(i) Leguminosae/Fabaceae/legume/Papillionaceae
(ii) Asteraceae/Compositae
(iii) Brassicaceae/Cruciferae
(i) 114 DAYS (112-116 days), 3months 3 weeks 3 days (not outside
range)
(ii) 21 DAYS (19-23 days) (not outside range)
Food store (cotyledons or endosperm/digestion(chemical
breakdown)/starch/amylase [accept
‘enzyme’]/sugar/oxygen/respiration
Not as high in N as urea or CAN/ won’t burn grass/ wont cake/
cheaper/ has acidic reaction/ will lower pH in alkaline soil/ helps with
S deficiency/make protein in plant/non-volatile/slower than
CAN/faster than urea
(i) leaves have holes/light coloured patches/sticky sap oozing/new
growth deformed/viral diseases or named viral disease.
(ii) holes on leaves of young plant
(iii) bare patches in ground/seedlings eaten/young stems bittenfallen over at soil surface/roots damaged/stems damaged
-4-
5 x 2 marks
2 marks
Any
4x2marks
MAIZE
pH
INSTRUMENTS
PLANT
FAMILIES
PIG DAYS
ENERGY
DURING
GERMINATION
NH4SO4
FERTILISER
INSECT
ATTACK
SYMPTOMS
6 marks
+ 4 marks
4 marks
3 x 2 marks
6 marks
+ 2 marks
+ 2 marks
6 marks
+ 2 marks
+ 2 marks
6 marks
+ 4 marks
6 marks
+ 2 marks
+ 2 marks
6 marks
+ 4 marks
6 marks
+ 2 marks
+ 2 marks
Q2.
(a) STRUCTURE wetting and drying
Activity of soil animals-earthworms
Freezing and thawing
Root activity
Tillage operation or detail of (one point)
Adding lime(limestone)
Adding organic matter
4 x 4 marks
BOGS
Blanket =caused by high local rainfall, usually
but not always at altitude/low evaporation rate
Basin Peat =caused by lake or swamp of
stagnant water filling in with moss sphagnum
&c
( points can be awarded for correct labelled
drawing(s))
Leaching/acidic conditions/iron pan/waterlogging/anaerobic conditions/absence of
bacteria of decay/build up of organic matter
( c) EXPT dry soil sample/ weigh/place in
crucible/over Bunsen/pipe clay triangle/stir
/humus burns red/red colour is gone(smoke
stops)/reweigh/formula OR correct alternative
chemical experiment/Loss in wt divided by wt
of sample x 100= % organic matter
4 x 4 marks
-5-
Points on either
Any 4 x 4
marks
Q3
OPTION ONE
(a)
(i) because it’s a good dairy(dual
purpose) breed/on his top
milkers (Friesians)
(ii) beef calves for sale(or beef
characteristics described)
(iii)easy calving(heifers)/small
bull/better quality beef
(iv) 15-20% or correct fraction
or decimal
(b) MILK LET-DOWN cow
relaxed / when calf nuzzles
udder /milker rubs udder with
wet warm cloth/ sensory nerves
/bring stimulus to brain/
oxytocin is released into blood
/from (anterior)
pituitary/oxytocin goes to
udder/causes milk alveoli to
contract/ releasing milk
(c) WITHDRAWAL antibiotics
are present in the milk/if this
milk is consumed by the public/
residues can be cause of
antibiotic resistant bacteria
occurring in the wider
population/ can affect processing
of milk in dairies/ affects milk
quality/high cell count/stops
yogurt bacteria from
working/affects cheese
manufacture/quality control
2 x 2 marks
4 marks
4 marks
4 marks
6 marks + 6 marks + 2 marks +
2 marks
6 marks + 6 marks + 2 marks +
2 marks
-6-
Q 3 OPTION TWO
(a) Calcium:|
(i)
Lime(stone) / CAN
(ii)
Weathering of
limestone/dissolves
/ cation exchange
(b) parasitic means caused by
a parasite/species that live
at the expense of other
organisms
deficiency disease caused
by a lack/– mineral,
vitamin or amino acid
4 marks
2 x 4 marks
Underlined terms:
2 x (4 marks + 2 marks)
Hoose
Cause: lungworm/dictyocaulus
/nematode (roundworms)
Symptoms: coughing (Husk another
name)/head down between front
legs/drooling/failure to thrive
Control/treatment leader-follower
system/ oral vaccine/keeping young
calves in off grass at vulnerable
times/dosing
OR
Grass-Tetany
Cause: Grass lacking in magnesium in
spring/ fertiliser suppresses uptake of
Mg/diet is lacking magnesium /Mg is
not stored in body
Symptoms:
Twitching/”staggers”/nervousness/coma
Control:
Treatment: Feed calcined magnesite
in diet cal-mag/MgO/in spring before
outturn to grass and in the meal or water
after for some time/magnesium
lick/limit access to fresh grass/injection
of magnesium/bolus(bullet)
(c) not certified seed / pests or
named e.g. / drought / too
cold / too
wet/weeds/unsuitable soil
type/compacted
soil/disease(damping off)
4 marks
4 marks
4 marks
[Marks as above]
3 x 4 marks
-7-
Q4
(a)SOIL TEXTURE: dry soil/oven/weigh/crush/how crush/sieves/re-weigh/calculate
OR soil sample/in a suitable vessel/add water to cover soil/stopper/shake/allow to
settle/measure sand silt and clay/textural triangle/conclusion OR wet soil/rub between
finger and thumb/note grittiness or smoothness/roll into a ball/make threads of it/bend
into rings/result/conclusion
(b)EARTHWORMS: mark out areas eg quadrat m sq/mow grass/add diluted detergent
(or alternative)/ to areas /slowly with a watering-can/wait for a period/observe
results/count no. of worms/ get an average /multiply by no of sq m (hectares) in field
(c)TRANSPIRATION RATE: leafy shoot/cut at an angle/potometer (burette
potometer)/water/seal with Vaseline/place in light/air bubble/measure bubble
position/leave/time/repeat/average/calculate/control
(d)BARLEY DIGESTIBILITY: whole barley/rolled barley/2 cows (or same cow on
successive occasions) /keep cows indoors/feed same amount of barley to each cow eg
.0.5 kg/keep cows in same place for 12 hours/collect dung/ and examine for undigested
grains/use hose and sieve to count grains/cow on unrolled barley will pass more
undigested grains OR whole grain in one test tube/rolled grain in the
other/amylase/add water/water bath/leave for a time/test for starch or sugar/name
reagent/describe result/compare.
6 x 4 marks
6 x 4 marks
6 x 4 marks
6 x 4 marks
Q5
(a) RADDLING HARNESS detects mating behaviour in rams/predicts lambing
date/allows farmer to establish which ewes have joined with the
ram/repeated(missed)/useful for culling ewes/identifying infertile rams(if all ewes show 2
-3 different raddle colours)/colour changed every 17 days(or for new cycle)
4 marks
+ 4 marks
FOOTROT bacterial disease/contagious/pain/lameness/reduced feed intake/loss of
condition/lowered fertility in rams/copper sulphate/ formalin/ footbath/hoof paring/
Clostridial sp/wet soils/dirty housing/antibiotics/vaccinate/leads to cull(loss)
(b) (i) RESEEDING WHY?
fertility has fallen/pH-lime status has
fallen/overgrazing/undergrazing(dieback)persistence of spp. weakens/weed
infestation(docks from repeated slurry applications)/poaching/to keep up d.m.
output(productivity)/improve palatability/improve digestibility/more nutritious
grass/clover to fix nitrogen/REPS(nitrogen directive)
(ii) perennial ryegrass spp/Italian rye grass(accept rye grass if
alone)/clover/Timothy/cocksfoot
(c ) LEAF:STEM sugars are in leaf/fibre (cellulose) is in stem/ if too much stempreservation will be poor/additives will be needed/too much stem DMD will be low(leafy
DMD is high)/more protein in leaf
4 marks
+ 4 marks
-8-
4 x4 marks
4 marks
+ 4 marks
4 marks
+ 4 marks
Q6
(a)BLIGHT: sow certified seed/no overwintering(dumps)/eliminate volunteers/resistant
varieties/begin spray program early/use most suitable fungicides/listen for weather
alerts/spray /not less than every 10 days/ earthing up/burn off stalks 2 weeks before
harvest//ROTATION is not a point
(b) SCUTCH: creeps underground /persistent/ has underground rhizomes/cultivation
spreads the weed by veg propagation/spreads from headland when crop is lifted/difficult
to control/even spraying only makes it retreat into headland/requires glyphosate (roundup)
or TCA to control it(selective herbicide)/rotation has no effect on it/competes with the
crop/one example of competition/same family as cereals
(c ) (i) PLOUGH PAN: hard layer/under soil at plough level(20-25cm approx,same depth
repeatedly)/caused by over cultivating/no root break/prevents drainage /causes
flooding/prevents roots penetrating downwards/broken by sub-soiler or deep ploughing
(ii) N-FIXATION: nitrogen converted to nitrates/ incorporated into bacteria/named
bacteria/symbiotic or mutualistic/named plant sp./or into soil directly/by action of
lightening
(d) EXPERIMENT: 1000 grain weight: named cereal (wheat,oats
barley..)/balance/container(crucible)/remove damaged seeds, screenings etc/ count out
1000 good seeds or stated number/weigh/record/repeat/ and get an average value/correct
calculation for 1000 grain weight
-9-
4 x 3 marks
4 x 3 marks
2 x 3 marks
First point
compulsory in (ii)
2 x 3 marks
4 x 3 marks
Q7
(a) FREEMARTIN: a heifer calf/which was a twin with a bull calf/hormones/should not
be used for breeding/it will be infertile/identified by unusually small genitals
HERMAPHRODITE: both sexes in the one individual/common in lower
organisms/liverfluke tapeworms or other example/both organs function in lower
animals/occurs occasionally in farm animals/should not be kept for breeding
ARTIFICIAL SELECTION: used by breeders/quicker than natural selection/mutations
are induced in plants /using radiation ,colchicine,cold shock &c/in animals by selective
breeding or desireable characteristics /recently by genetic modification
PEDIGREE ANIMAL: purebreeding or homozygous (animals)/achieved by selective
breeding or desireable characteristics/whose lineage is recorded/in a breed society
herdbook or register/these animals have “papers”/ and herd book(studbook)number/used
in A.I. stations (or breeding)
(b)
(i) Parents phenotypes: black x brown
Parents genotypes:
Bb x bb
(ii)
B
b
Bb
Black
ANY THREE
3x
(2 marks +2
marks)
{12
marks}
1 mark + 1mark
1 mark + 1mark
Punnett square:
2 marks
b
Gametes:
3 x 1mark
bb
Brown
Genotypes:
2 x 1mark
Phenotypes:
2 x 1mark
(iii) Test cross or back cross
3 marks
{16
marks}
(c)
(i) POLYPLOIDY: occurs when cell division goes wrong/chromosomes and their
copies are pulled to same end of cell/resulting in double or more times the
normal set of chromosomes in some cells (e.g 3N etc)/genetic engineering(or
explained)/mutation
(ii) e.g. TRIPLOID = e.g. sugar beet or fodder beet, endosperm
OR
e.g. TETRAPLOID = e.g. ryegrasses and clovers
(d) CALVING DIFFICULTY INDEX: because it is the result of progeny test/therefore
highly accurate and scientific/important to know for heifers /or small breed
females(Jersey, Aberdeen Angus &c)/cow can’t be left calf on their own (supervised or
vet present)/cows may require a section/and subsequent sections/low figure indicates
easier calving/cost or loss to farmer
- 10 -
3 + 3 marks
Name of ploidy
3 marks
e.g. of plant
3 marks
{12 marks}
4 marks + 4
marks
{8 marks}
Q8
REMEMBER TO TOTAL THE MARKS FROM ONLY THE
BEST TWO PARTS OF THIS QUESTION
(a) EWE breeds in ewe should be prolific/Belclare improver or halfbred or greyface or
Borris or Blackface [not Galway] ewe/hybrids selected for litter size/flushing of ewes
increases no. of lambs/mothering qualities are n.b./weaning percentage(no. of lambs
weaned per number joined with ram x 100 or reproductive efficiency.
RAM ram is half the flock/Suffolk or Texel/terminal sires/growth rate/carcase
conformation/leanness/killing-out% all depend on ram breed/pure-bred or pedigree
4 x 6 marks
At least one
point from
either
{24 marks}
(b)
Photosynthesis: Needs chlorophyll/uses light(energy)/uses CO2/uses H2O/generates 2 x 6 marks
O2/
makes glucose/anabolic /in chloroplasts
2 x 6 marks
Respiration: Does not need chlorophyll/does not use light/uses glucose/uses O2 /
{24 marks}
generates CO2/generates H2O/releases energy/catabolic/in mitochondria
(c)
REMEMBER TO TOTAL THE MARKS ONLY FROM THE BEST THREE
PARTS OF THIS PART OF THE QUESTION.
(i) FARROWING house 20degrees/first house for a pig or where litter is born/sows +
piglets here for 4 -7 weeks/infra red lamps/creep area/farrowing crate
FATTENER house 22 degrees /last house before slaughter or finishing
house/room to walk about/lower density/ad lib feeding
----------------------------------(ii) ZERO GRAZING animals kept inside/on a feedlot/grass or other forage is cut /and
brought to animals/no poaching /less energy wasted by animals/labour intensive
CREEP GRAZING. In sheep or cattle systems/a gap in fence /allows young animals
access to a clean (worm free) field/good grass available/return to suckle/ access denied to
mothers
---------------------------------------------------(iii) BULL BEEF male animals only/reared without castration /to about 16
months/better growth rates/ because of testosterone/high quality feed needed(barley
beef)/small market here(meat is strong)/1-1.25kg gain per day after
weaning/dangerous/can breed with heifers
HEIFER BEEF preferred by consumer/heifers are smaller/don’t kill out as well as
male/take longer to mature/ heifer calves are cheaper than bull calves/0.6-0.7kg gain per
day
-------------------------------------------------------(iv) ECTOPARASITES are on the skin/have claws etc/suck blood-eat skin/easier to
control than endo/dipping/sprays/washes /fungus( ringworm) or arthropod (
fleas,mites,ticks,lice,maggots)
ENDOPARASITE on inside/have tough skin-cuticle/no digestive organs
often/complicated life cycle/often hermaphrodite/harder to control/examples fluke
,stomach worms etc
- 11 -
3x
2(2mk+2mk)
Two points
from each
alternative
{24 marks}
Q9
REMEMBER TO TOTAL THE MARKS ONLY FROM THE
BEST FOUR PARTS OF THIS QUESTION
(a)full gut(rumen) at slaughter /increases meat hygiene risk/ E coli risk on
meat/sugar(glycogen) in muscle turns to lactic acid /especially if animals are stressed/
results in poor quality meat
Hanging carcass allows blood to drain/enzymes /break down tough fibres in meat/better
quality meat
3 x 4 marks
At least one
reference each
to fasting and
hanging
(b) oxygen is more soluble in cold H2O/water warm in may/less O2/water levels low in
may/effluent is less diluted/silage operations begin in mid may(Cork usually reports first
incidents)/high BOD/of silage effluent or of fertilizer or of slurry/eutrophication/algal
bloom/bacteria
(c) highest yielding breed/ too much milk for one calf/mastitis likely in cow/scour likely
in calf/Holsteins are not winter-hardy/Holsteins require more feed/they are a dairy
breed/calves not suitable for beef
(d) protein rich/increases muscle growth/cereals are low in protein/meat+bone meal no
longer available /cereals and soya complement each other/because each has the amino
acid lacking in the other/soya is high in lysine(essential amino acid)/which pigs cannot
manufacture/ and low in methionine/ cereals are the reverse
(e) conifers do well at windy high altitudes(broadleafs don’t)/broadleafs lose their foliage
in winter (conifers don’t)/conifers grow fast and tall(broadleafs grow slow)/very few
broadleafs can tolerate salt-laden wind in coastal areas (many suitable conifers
exist)/suitable for wildlife(biodiversity)/aesthetic
Any 3 x 4
marks
- 12 -
Any 3 x 4
marks
Any 3 x 4
marks
Any 3 x 4
mks